Senior/Staff Software Engineer – Embedded AI Runtime

Location: San Diego, California
Focus: C/C++, Embedded AI, AI Runtimes, IoT

TalentLab is recruiting a Senior/Staff Software Engineer to join a team developing high-performance AI runtime software for IoT platforms.

This is a hands-on software engineering role focused on the infrastructure that enables modern AI models to execute efficiently on-device. Rather than building or training models, you'll work deeper in the AI software stack — developing runtime and SDK capabilities, integrating with edge and IoT platforms, and solving performance and compatibility challenges across hardware and software.

You'll work with advanced neural network architectures including DNNs and LLMs while collaborating closely with hardware, operating systems, compiler, driver and AI software teams.

What You'll Work On

• Develop and enhance AI runtime and SDK capabilities for embedded and IoT platforms.

• Lead significant features from technical design through implementation, debugging and integration.

• Develop high-performance systems software primarily in C/C++.

• Enable efficient execution of DNNs, LLMs and other modern neural network architectures.

• Integrate AI software across multiple embedded product platforms.

• Debug complex issues spanning AI runtime software, operating systems, compilers, drivers and hardware.

• Work closely with platform, hardware and software engineering teams.

• Evaluate new developments in AI and systems software and determine how they can improve the runtime platform.

• Provide technical guidance to other engineers and contribute to broader architecture and technical planning.

What We're Looking For

• Strong professional software development experience, ideally 6+ years, with deeper experience expected at the Staff level.

• Advanced C/C++ development skills.

• Experience developing systems software in Linux or Unix environments.

• Strong software engineering fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, debugging and testing.

• Experience building embedded software or working close to hardware.

• Ability to independently own complex technical problems and drive them through to completion.

• Experience providing technical leadership or guidance within a software engineering team.

• Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.

Particularly Relevant Experience

We're especially interested in candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• AI runtimes, inference engines or AI SDK development.

• Embedded or on-device AI.

• DNN, CNN, RNN/LSTM, LLM or other neural network architectures.

• Hardware-accelerated AI inference.

• Low-level interactions between operating systems and hardware.

• Linux, Android, QNX or similar embedded operating systems.

• Debugging across hardware, OS, compiler and driver layers.

• Python development alongside strong C/C++ skills.

• AI accelerator, DSP, GPU or NPU software.

• Agile development and Git-based source control.

This is a strong fit for an experienced systems software engineer who wants to work underneath the models, solving the runtime, performance and platform challenges required to bring advanced AI capabilities onto real-world embedded devices.

How to Apply?
All qualified and interested applicants can apply directly to Gord Marriage by sending an email with attached resume to gord.marriage@talentlab.com. You may also apply directly on our website at www.talentlab.com. Although we thank all applicants for their interest, only those in consideration will be contacted.